08:02, 11 June 2026

The opposition called the charges against Kerimli and Ibrahim politically motivated.

A Baku court has extended the pretrial detention of Mammad Ibrahim, an adviser to the chairman of the Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan, for another five months. Associates have stated that the opposition leader's criminal prosecution is politically motivated.

As reported by the "Caucasian Knot," a Baku court extended the arrest of Ali Karimli, the head of the Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan, for another five months.

On November 29, 2025, State Security Service officers detained Ali Karimli and his adviser, Mammad Ibrahim, a member of the PFPA presidium. Both opposition figures were arrested for two and a half months, until February 13. Karimli is charged under Article 278.1 of the Criminal Code of Azerbaijan (actions aimed at the violent seizure of power or the violent change of the constitutional order of the state). He denied the charges and called his criminal case political persecution. On February 9, the pretrial detention of Karimli and Ibrahim was extended for another four months.

Yesterday, June 10, the Sabail District Court of Baku granted the request of the Investigative Department of the State Security Service of Azerbaijan to extend Ibrahim's pretrial detention for another five months, until November 13, his lawyer, Nazim Musayev, told a "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

According to his defense, Ibrahim does not plead guilty to the charges. The decision to extend his pretrial detention will be appealed, Musayev added.

“This criminal case against Ali Karimli and Mammad Ibrahim is absolutely false. The charges are fabricated and politically motivated. It is aimed at eliminating opposition activity in Azerbaijan. While serious democratic political processes are underway in other countries in the region, including neighboring Armenia and Georgia, in Azerbaijan the opposition cannot even come to court to support their comrades, since the police are cordoning off court buildings,” Seymur Hazi, deputy chairman of the Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan, told a “Caucasian Knot” correspondent.

In addition, on June 10, the Sabail District Court of Baku also extended the house arrest of another defendant in this case, former head of the Presidential Administration Ramiz Mehdiyev, for five months.

On February 12, the State Security Service of Azerbaijan announced the uncovering of a conspiracy against authorities with the participation of former head of the presidential administration Ramiz Mehdiyev and PFPA leader Ali Karimli. According to the State Security Service, Mehdiyev, Karimli, PFPA member Mammad Ibrahim, and others conspired to violently seize power and change the constitutional order. Mehdiyev's assistant, Eldar Amirov, is alleged to have been involved in the transfer of documents and contacts with foreign entities. The investigation also alleges funding and coordination through Azerbaijani diaspora organizations abroad with the aim of destabilizing the situation in the country, including during the 2013 elections.

The PFPA denies any connection between Karimli and the party in general with Mehdiyev. "Linking Ali Karimli and the PFPA with Ramiz Mehdiyev is utterly absurd. Mehdiyev was an influential figure in this regime for 25 years, a regime we have been consistently fighting. It's even more absurd to claim that Ali Karimli and Ramiz Mehdiyev were plotting a coup in Russia's interests. The PFPA has always advocated for Azerbaijan's integration into the European Union. Clearly, the authorities are using Mehdiyev's case to finally crack down on the political opposition," PFPA press secretary Natig Adilov told a "Caucasian Knot" correspondent earlier.

A Sabail Court employee confirmed the extension of Ibrahim and Amirov's arrests and Mehdiyev's house arrest.

Translated automatically via Google translate from https://www.kavkaz-uzel.eu/articles/424014